Officials at the Internal Revenue Service are making the rounds throughout the country in an attempt to educate taxpayers about the many tips and tools at their disposal this year.

IRS media relations specialist Peggy Riley said Friday during a visit to Seacoast Media Group that tax season officially kicked in to full swing starting Jan. 31.

Riley, who is touring New England to talk about tax changes, the filing deadline, extensions and payment plans, said the filing season started a little bit late this year.

“The government shutdown put us behind,” she said.

Riley said the IRS is still expecting all taxpayers to file returns by April 15 at midnight.

Similar to years past, Riley said the IRS is urging people to take advantage of the electronic filing options found at www.IRS.gov.

“We are really encouraging people to take advantage of electronic filing,” said Riley, adding that roughly 85 percent of people who file taxes do so electronically.

Online filing allows citizens to better understand what credits and deductions they may be eligible for, Riley said, and it also speeds up the process.

The online program, known as “FreeFile”, allows a taxpayer who earns $58,000 or less to choose from a list of 14 companies that can help them file a tax return.

“It’s a safe and secure system,” she said. “People should feel secure using it.”

Taxpayers also have at their disposal various mobile apps for iPhones and Androids, she said. The IRS is also posting YouTube videos to help taxpayers with certain questions, Riley added.

“You can get quick tax tips and check on refunds,” she said.

Riley also encouraged people to take their time in filing a return, saying it’s not uncommon for someone to miss a credit or a deduction.

“You don’t need to rush,” she said. “You have plenty of time to do it.”

One commonly missed credit is the Earned Income Tax credit, according to Riley. The credit, which is for low-to-moderate income working individuals and families, applies to those with an income of up to $51,000 annually, said Riley.

“Four out of five taxpayers who qualify for it, get it,” she said. “We really encourage people to check it out and see if they qualify.”

Another credit available to taxpayers involves a “simplified home office deduction,” Riley said, noting it allows people who uses a room exclusively for business to deduct up to $1,500. The credit is calculated based off a $5 per square foot space up to 300 square feet.

“For a freelance writer, that would be perfect,” she said.

Perhaps the biggest change this year, according to Riley, is same-sex couples can file joint returns.

“The IRS now recognizes same-sex marriage,” she said. “If you’re in that situation, you can file jointly.”

Riley said couples can also amend previous returns for previous years if interested.

Taxpayers should also be aware that this could be the last year someone can claim energy credits for making energy-efficient improvements to their homes.

Teachers who were once allowed to deduct the cost of paying for their own supplies will also no longer have that credit at their disposal after this year, according to Riley.

“For next year it’s not available, unless Congress comes back and extends it,” she said.

Riley said people should always be aware of various tax scams.

One scam involves people impersonating an IRS employee telling taxpayers that they owe money and should purchase a prepaid debit card and send to a certain address.

“The IRS is not going to do that,” she said. “If you owe taxes you’ll get a notice in the mail.”

Anyone who thinks they have been contacted by a scam artist is asked to call 1-800-829-1040.

Another scam involves e-mails being sent to taxpayers saying their taxes have been recalculated and they owe more money.

“We do not correspond about refunds by e-mail,” she said.

Should someone receive such an e-mail, Riley said, they should forward the information to phishing@irs.gov.

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